Abstract
Many household gardeners accumulate considerable knowledge of plant biology through a range of informal learning sources. This knowledge seldom relates to school biology and is driven by interest, keen motivation and what is termed here ‘vital relevance’. A small opportunity sample of 12 gardeners (6 M, 6 F) is interviewed in terms of their knowledge of plant biology and their motives for learning. They are largely self-educated, their knowledge is quite specific though piecemeal and their motivation has a strong affective dimension.
Highlights
In 1963, Bassey published the results of a modest study under the title of Science for tomorrow’s citizens, a claim reminiscent of Hogben’s (1938) classic book, Science for the citizen—a self-educator based on the social background of science discoveries
Watts asked respondents about the ‘scientific method’. He found that the residual memory of this knowledge was far from substantial and that the experience these respondents had of school science was that it all seemed to be a long list of irrelevant facts
The term ‘vital relevance’ is proposed as describing their informal drive for learning. Their motivation and achievements seem to belie some of the rhetorical claims that science educators make about the value of formal science education
Summary
The spelling of “Aulls” for “Aulls and Shore, 2008” has been changed to match the entry in the references list Please confirm that this is correct and provide revisions if needed. The Year for “Havens & Henderson, 2013” has been changed to match the entry in the references list Please confirm this is correct and provide revisions if needed. The spelling of “Gritton” for “Gritton, 2011” has been changed to match the entry in the references list The spelling of “Fisher” for “Fisher and Naumer, 2006” has been changed to match the entry in the references list
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